Officials broke ground on the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary today.
The sanctuary is located at 8 Commerce Road in Newtown.

For the past decade, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary has been carrying on the legacy of Catherine, who showed a strong sense of compassion and kindness to animals.

In 2014, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation was awarded over 34 acres of Connecticut state farmland by a unanimous vote from the Connecticut State House of Representatives and Senate. 

The spot has officially become the home to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Sanctuary.

The sanctuary pays tribute to Catherine and her spirit of kindness toward all living things by honoring the bond between humans, animals and the environment.

The sanctuary has served over 707,000 pet food meals to animals in need, taught 143,000 people through sanctuary educational programs and engaged over 1,000 volunteers annually.

The $10 million completely self-sustaining facilities will be the first-ever living building in Connecticut and the New York metro area.

The design includes homage to Catherine, with a central spire topped with red terracotta tiles to signify her red hair and two walkways connecting the buildings to signify her outstretched arms, welcoming all to the sanctuary.

Hubbard was among 20 students killed during the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012. She was 6 years old.